Fast Tracking You to Pregnancy

Posted on August 3, 2011 Julie Chang, L.Ac.

Like most women, you’ve probably spent most of your adult life trying NOT to get pregnant. Now that you WANT to get pregnant, it’s proving to be more difficult that you thought. That’s because so much is involved in creating life that most people don’t know much more than the fun part. Statistically, a healthy woman in her 20s has about a 25% chance of conceiving in any given month. So, even the luckiest couples usually have to try for a few months before magic happens. Still, there are some handy tips you can use to speed up the conception process:

1) Do know when your fertile window period is. Timing is everything – without knowing precisely when you are fertile, your efforts may be in vain or take considerably longer because you’re just guessing. DON’T use the calendar. Most women don’t have an exactly 28-day cycle. If you’re off by even a day or 2, you greatly decrease your chances of becoming pregnant. The best way to determine your fertile window period is a combination of using OPKs (ovulation predictor kits) available in drugstores and checking your cervical mucus (read Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler for detailed information).  

2) Do take a high quality multivitamin from a natural foods store. Cheap multivitamins are difficult to absorb and process so will have minimal positive effect. Zen Fertility Center carries Rainbow Light’s Complete Prenatal System for women and Rainbow Light’s Men’s One Multivitamin.

3) Do the Cross-Crawl if you have a sedentary job to keep your blood circulating throughout your body and especially through your reproductive organs. To do the cross-crawl, march in place with exaggerated arm swing and lifting the knees high. Touch hand or elbow to knee to emphasize the movement. Do the Cross-Crawl exercise for as long as is comfortable, take a break, and then do more later. Even when seated, you can do a Cross-Crawl movement by lifting your knees alternately, and touching each raised knee with the opposite hand or elbow.

4) Do get serious about nutrition and lifestyle. Smoking, taking recreational drugs, drinking, and making poor nutritional choices will decrease your chances of becoming pregnant.

5) Do reduce exposure and close proximity of genital region to heat (e.g. hot tubs), radiation (e.g. microwave, laptops, cell phones), and trauma (e.g. bike riding).

6) Do take time at least 1x/wk to connect with your partner e.g. date night, talk about how each other’s day/week went, tell your partner what qualities he/she has that you would like your child to inherit or develop. Regularly reconnecting with each other strengthens your bond as a couple.

7) Have intercourse regularly so you’re not just doing it when it’s “time”.

8) Do get acupuncture to reduce stress and prepare your body for conception and pregnancy. Your body has a lot to do to perform its daily functions. Getting treatment to support the optimal function of your body will help you conceive more easily and carry a healthy pregnancy to term.